Chapter 12: Between a Rock and a Hard Place
2315words
Wouldn't all those relatives inside scrutinize me mercilessly?
But I couldn't just walk away from the mess I'd created. If Ethan decided to make my work life difficult, that would be even worse.
"I... I'll do what you say..." I started trembling, despite usually being fearless.
"What I say?" Ethan seemed incredulous. Could the proud Alia actually be compromising?
"Yes, what you say..."
“Be with me. Be mine.”
His gaze was sharp, weighing heavily on me.
"!!" I forced a smile, wanting to agree, but couldn't help asking, "Is there no other option?"
"You could say nothing and just drive away," Ethan turned away, not looking at me.
"If I leave, won't you get scolded terribly?" My eyes met his deep, intimidating gaze.
"That's not your concern."
His jawline tensed, his eyes sharp and angular.
"..." I swallowed hard, feeling guilty. His penetrating eyes made me retreat. "I'm really sorry..."
Ethan sighed almost imperceptibly, turned toward his grandfather, helped him into the car, and drove inside without acknowledging me.
I stood frozen, wringing my hands.
"You rascal! Did you make her angry?!" Grandfather West scolded from the passenger seat.
"I finally find such a beautiful granddaughter-in-law, and you can't even use your words properly? Is your mouth made of stone?"
Ethan remained silent throughout, face dark, letting his grandfather scold him.
"Look at yourself! How old are you now? Keeping yourself chaste all this time for that unofficial ex-girlfriend. Has she ever looked back at you?"
"When will you change that stubborn personality of yours?"
"Grandfather, I don't like her," Ethan suddenly said, his eyes distant.
Don't like her? Do you think I'm blind? If you don't like her, why talk to her for so long? Why bother fixing buttons on damaged clothes?
Don't you have germophobia? How did that thousand-dollar jacket end up on her shoulders? Why not put it on mine?
...
The car slowly stopped in the parking lot beside the castle. He thought I would have turned and left, but to his surprise, I had followed him in.
Our eyes met, neither speaking a word. Seeing this, Grandfather West hurriedly left.
His heavy gaze fell on me again. Behind his frameless glasses, his deep eyes flashed with light, then quickly disappeared.
Who would have thought that beneath his suited, gentlemanly exterior, he could be so cold?
"Do you know what the consequences are of coming in?"
Ethan hadn't approached me, but standing by the car, I already felt the pressure.
I shook my head, stepping back, my back against the car door.
"If you come in with me, you won't be able to leave. Tonight, a man and a woman, one bed—tomorrow we'll be getting a marriage license."
I tried to appear calm. "Haha, well, I'm already here..."
I couldn't continue.
Ethan thought for several seconds, his gaze on me growing darker.
He swallowed and nodded slightly.
"Since you're already here, does that mean you've considered becoming Mrs. West?"
"I can pretend today, at least so you won't be embarrassed," I couldn't look him in the eye.
"So I should thank you?"
Ethan looked exasperated, as if I were driving him crazy.
He felt like I was keeping him hanging, yet he couldn't do anything about it.
"Alia, you haven't thought this through. I advise you to go back. I won't force you, nor will I play games."
His tone was calm, but his words were sharp.
I was only trying to be kind. Seeing him so ungrateful, I clutched my car keys tightly.
"Sorry for the trouble."
With that, I got into my car without hesitation and drove out of the estate.
Ethan stood there, watching my car leave with its exhaust trail, showing no expression.
"You deserve to get blasted tonight!"
I gripped the steering wheel angrily.
The car stopped by the roadside. Still, I couldn't bear the thought of him being scolded—after all, it was my fault. I sighed, took out my phone, and messaged his grandfather.
[I'm sorry, Grandfather. Something urgent came up. I'll visit another day. Please give the finished shirt directly to Ethan. [Transferred $200]]
To my surprise, he returned the transfer.
[Granddaughter-in-law, no need to be so formal. Ethan already told me you had to leave early for something urgent. Come back together to see me next time! I won't charge for the shirt—I'd have to make it for him eventually anyway.]
What? Had he acknowledged their relationship to his family?
I held my forehead, his words echoing in my mind: "Would you like to try being Mrs. West?"
I smiled lightly. In this day and age, someone still believed that losing one's virginity meant being bound together—quite rare, especially from someone of his prestigious background.
I opened Ethan's contact.
[Transferred $200, Note: For the shirt.]
As soon as I sent it, a red exclamation mark appeared!
Wow! He had blocked me...
This was infuriating! Traditional, stubborn man!
My slender fingers tapped the phone screen as I deleted his contact.
I turned off the screen. Well, at least this ambiguous relationship was over.
I bit my lip, drove to the city center, found a place to eat, then returned to my apartment.
The living room was full of packed luggage, but I hadn't found a suitable place to move to yet, so everything was just sitting there, looking depressing.
—
Early the next morning, I carried a plain gift bag, head down playing with my phone, following the crowd into the elevator.
As soon as I entered, I smelled that familiar scent. I knew whose it was, and sure enough, Noah stood beside him.
I didn't dare look, walking to another corner, keeping my distance, but I could feel a piercing gaze directed at me.
The crowd outside grew, filling the elevator with people and various strange smells.
I covered my mouth, turned sideways, and couldn't help but retch slightly, facing the elevator wall. I retched several times, only feeling better after the elevator doors opened and the crowd dispersed.
"Alia, what's wrong? You haven't had much appetite these past few days."
Linda, who was running late, came up to me, looking at my pale face.
"I've been looking for a place to move, but none of the options seem right," I placed the gift bag on the ground.
"Hey, now that you're single again, want me to introduce you to some handsome guys?" Linda said flirtatiously.
I frowned at her.
"If I wanted to date, would I need introductions? The line of men pursuing me stretches from here to Paris."
"Yes, yes! The future famous fashion designer doesn't lack for men."
"Oh? Alia wants to date?"
As luck would have it, a passing colleague overheard.
The three of us laughed awkwardly.
At noon, everyone went to the cafeteria for lunch.
I called Noah, wanting to schedule a meeting with Ethan. Noah let me take the elevator directly to the executive office.
"What is it?" Ethan looked at his computer, his face still expressionless, but—
Today he wore a white shirt with a vest, making him appear even more dignified than usual.
Was this the white shirt I had ordered?
I walked straight to him and placed the bag on his desk.
"Returning your jacket. Thank you."
Ethan looked at the bag, then at me, and asked, "Not feeling well?"
"Mm..." After yesterday's conversation, I felt we didn't need to discuss personal matters. I quickly said, "If Mr. West has nothing else, I'll be going now."
"Mm."
—
The dizziness and nausea were severe, so I took the afternoon off and went to the hospital.
I was still waiting for my turn, with many people ahead of me. I dozed off and only woke up groggily when my name was called.
After briefly explaining my condition, the doctor began asking questions.
"Name."
"Alia Levin."
"Age."
"Twenty-two."
"Did you have intercourse last month?"
"...Yes, but I took emergency contraception."
"The pill only blocks about ninety percent. There's still a small chance of pregnancy. Let's do an ultrasound first."
The doctor was experienced, speaking with a smile.
I clutched my white dress tightly, sweat beading on my forehead.
So emergency contraception isn't 100% effective?!
I swallowed hard and took the form, walking out in a daze to wait.
My eyes reddened as I thought of my mother.
My mother had been in a similar situation—with a businessman, pregnant with me. She gave birth to me alone and raised me by herself. Only we two knew the hardships involved.
I walked down an empty corridor, looking at the ultrasound form, terrified that they might find a little one. That would be disastrous!
I was only twenty-two, barely had my own life figured out.
I took a deep breath, trying to relax, but the more I tried, the more anxious I became.
I was still wondering whether to message Ethan, but he had already blocked me. And if I called, this big boss might not even answer.
This made me even more distressed!
I bit my lip, trying hard not to cry.
Just then, I saw a familiar figure walking toward me.
Olivia, not yet showing at less than three months, but already developing the posture of a pregnant woman.
She was accompanied by an older female servant carrying all her necessities, following her carefully.
"Alia, you're here for a check-up too?" she said mockingly, looking at the early pregnancy test form in my hand.
Her eyes were lifeless, her eye bags heavy and gray, a stark contrast to her once glamorous, delicate beauty.
"Olivia." I folded the form and hid it behind my back.
"You're quite skilled!" she gritted her teeth, looking like she wanted to tear me apart right then.
"Why are you angry?"
I scoffed, knowing what she meant. I felt satisfied inside, but seeing her lost and dejected appearance also made me pity her.
What I had lost was a scumbag, while she had lost a husband and her child's father.
Comparatively, I was the lucky one.
"Hmph!" Tears streamed down Olivia's face.
"Now that the Hale-Blake marriage alliance has fallen through, are you happy? Jack loves you but got me pregnant. You had ulterior motives, didn't you?!"
Faced with her accusation, I didn't deny it:
What does it matter whether I knew about you and Jack? I've kept silent publicly. It was your uncle who spread the facts. How can you blame me?
Ultimately, it was your lack of self-respect. The Hale and Blake families were already heading toward a marriage alliance. You were afraid I would take him away, so you did something so foolish—completely unnecessary!
"Alia! You're just a fatherless wild child! How dare you criticize me?!"
Olivia and I had once been close friends who could talk all night, but now she was attacking my background. I was momentarily stunned.
I didn't argue back, remaining silent for a long time.
I never expected that we would end up as enemies.
Only when the announcement called my name did I come back to reality.
I didn't want to argue—this was a hospital, and our conversation had already attracted unwanted attention. I didn't want to draw more eyes.
"Olivia, let's leave it at this."
I tried to leave, but Olivia blocked me in the corridor.
"Alia, you've been separated from Jack for less than a month. Don't tell me you're sleeping with some random man and using Jack and me as a smokescreen?"
"Olivia, show some respect!" I had been patient enough!
If I weren't possibly pregnant, I would have slapped this bitch!
"Haha! Alia! Why so nervous?!" Olivia stepped forward and snatched my form.
"Give it back!"
I tried to take it back but was blocked by her servant!
"As I thought!"
Olivia immediately recognized what the form was for.
My nose reddened, and my eyebrows flushed.
Over the years, classmates had often mocked me for being illegitimate, but Olivia had always stood up for me. Now she was using my background to attack me.
Olivia laughed lightly, mocking me for being promiscuous, for acting too high and mighty in public.
"Do you know why I've protected you all these years?"
I didn't know before, but now I could guess.
"Because Jack liked you, and I liked Jack. I had to present myself in the most appealing way to Jack. Everyone said I was kind-hearted, and Jack gradually began to accept me. But who knew how much I hated you inside!"
Olivia's words hit me like a thunderbolt!
So even friendship could be faked.
All her care and love over the years had been false.
My boyfriend was fake, my best friend was fake.
Heh...
I understood now, tears falling uncontrollably.
"Give me back my form."
I tried to control my emotions, speaking slowly and deliberately.
"Tell me who that random man is, and I'll give you back your form."
Olivia moved her servant aside and approached me.
I wasn't stupid enough to fall for her trap.
Ethan was a renowned fashion industry mogul, known and feared by everyone. If I mentioned his name, Olivia wouldn't believe me and would only humiliate me further.
Besides, Ethan had blocked me yesterday. Even if I admitted it, he might not acknowledge it.
"Give me back my form!"
I reached out to grab it, but unexpectedly, Olivia slapped me.
"SLAP!"
My face stung. The air in the hospital seemed to freeze, the bustling hospital suddenly quiet, with only the announcement repeatedly calling my name.
I didn't want to argue anymore; I just wanted to take my form and leave this disgusting person.
I reached out again to take the form, and Olivia raised her hand once more.
I got the form back but thought she was going to hit me again. However, her raised hand was caught in mid-air by a large hand.
...
